Lumen Winter 2023 - Flipbook - Page 12
Rising to the challenge
Andy Lowe gives a brief snapshot of the
vital environmental research – and actions –
underway at our University.
We work mainly on plant and forest
ecosystems to create holistic solutions for
ecosystems worldwide.
The problems we face as a planetary species
are daunting in scale and volume – but can
be solved through a combination of research
(to identify the problem and innovate new
products or practises that solve the problem)
and socio-economic-political frameworks
required to drive change in systems.
We work in three main areas: discovering
and protecting biodiversity; managing and
conserving biodiversity; and valuing and
restoring biodiversity.
The Environment Institute at the University
of Adelaide is developing a broad range of
research-based solutions for the planetary
boundaries we face, including:
•
Restoring our terrestrial and marine
ecosystems;
•
Preparing for and developing resilient
ecosystem plans in the face of fires and
floods;
•
Developing more efficient water use
systems and policies;
•
Protecting our biodiversity from
deforestation, illegal logging, illegal
wildlife trade and over exploitation;
•
Examining biodiversity extinction
dynamics and developing conservation
plans;
•
Designing production and urban
landscapes that bring back nature,
biodiversity and nature’s benefits
to people.
Developing solutions that solve multiple
issues while harnessing multiple benefits are
more likely to be adopted and successfully
implemented.
Research to tackle the biodiversity crisis
The loss of biodiversity is perhaps one
of the greatest environmental challenges
we face. Extinction is forever, and the
loss of biodiversity also means the loss
of important ecosystem services – also
known as nature’s benefits to people – that
biodiversity and natural habitats bring,
including clean air and water, soil integrity,
carbon sequestration and nutrient recycling,
pollination and a range of human physical
and mental wellbeing benefits from being in
and around nature.
My research group (www.growelab.com)
is passionate about developing applied
research to address some of these most
pressing environmental challenges.
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THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE
Discover and protect
It’s amazing to think that we still don’t know
how many species there are on Earth. Best
estimates are around 10 million but we have
only put names to around 15% of these.
The rest, mainly insects, we refer to as the
dark taxa – we know they’re out there but
we don’t really know what they are or where
they are.
Case study: Indigenous plants of
Australasia are becoming increasingly
valuable crop and forest assets worldwide.
But harnessing their genetic potential will
require effective and socially responsible
management of their seeds, strains, and
digital sequences.
As a co-lead of the DivSeek International
Network’s Regional Hub for Australasia,
our lab coordinates a team of crop scientists
and policy experts to understand the gaps
and opportunities in the way we utilise plant
genetic resources in our region.
Recently DNA methods to help identify
species – DNA barcoding – have made the
task of identifying species quicker and easier
and building an ID reference library can
help with hard to identify species.
Case study: We’ve applied these methods
to help control the trade in illegally logged
timber products. Our group has been part
of the United Nations Office of Drugs and
Crime working group to develop scientific
methods to identify timber in supply chains,
and we have also been working with a
Singapore based company, DoubleHelix
Tracking Technologies, to apply these
methods to global supply chains.
Manage and conserve
Biological diversity, including genetic
diversity is an important asset to maintain.
Natural ecosystems, agriculture and
forestry, and other natural resource value
chains all depend on the management
and conservation of plant diversity. For
natural systems, genetic diversity can help
maintain resilient populations in the face of
environmental pressures, such as
climate change.
For managed and exploited species,
this variation is the important basis for
selection of new crop plants and varieties
that have unique features and adaptations.
We collaborate with international partners
to develop and raise awareness of tools
and best practices for the management of
biological resources.
Native oyster reef renewal
Value and restore
In the coming century, we will need to
restore world ecosystems and adapt to a
changing climate.
Our group develops the restoration practices
required to recover lost ecosystems and
build communities resilient to future
challenges.
The value of services provided by intact
ecosystems is still poorly studied. Our work
quantifies the value of a range of ecosystem
services (such as pollination, microbial
function, and carbon sequestration) to help
motivate restoration programs.
